Piston ring



Patented Nov. 26, 1946 OFFICE 2,411,757 PIS'ION RING Jesse A. Ramsey, Wenonah, N. J. Application July 14, 1944, Serial No. 544,874

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a piston ring assembly.

More particularly, the invention proposes an improved piston ring assembly which ls characterized by a bull ring mounted in a groove of a piston and having a transverse' face formed with an annular recess spaced inwards from the outer edge thereof and cooperative with an annular member mounted in the annular space between' said transverse face and one transverse face of said groove in the piston ring, and said annular member being formed of a plurality of sections having their ends in end alignment with each other and having an annular projection engaging saidannular -recess for limitingV extension of said sections. It is also proposed to provide sealing pieces set into radial recesses in said annular member and overlapping the adjacent ends of said sections and having projections engaging recesses in said annular member for limiting extension of the sealing pieces. Resilient means is used for extending said sections and sealing pieces against said limiting projections.

An important feature of the new piston ring resides in the fact that because of its inherent construction the sections of the annular member cannot engage against the wall of a cylinder with such destructive force as to cut and groove the cylinder wall. Because the sections of the annular member are restrained the possibility of their breaking is materially reduced.

Because the annular member is formed of sections it eliminates undue strain which develop as the piston ring wears, causing uneven cylinder wear and ring breakage. In general, the new and improved piston rings have a long life be cause as they wear it ispossible to reinish the limiting projections and thus compensate for wear.

Furthermore, no matter how much the piston ring is worn over a period of years, the seal pieces will keep the joints sealed so that no leakage takes place. The resilient means prevents leakage out from under the seal pieces. It seals the joints immediately under the seal pieces.

The invention contemplates theuse of more than one piston ring'assembly in one groove, in accordance with thisA invention.

Thenew and improved piston ring assembly requires no cylinder oil. There are no screws, pins or other weak members to work loose and destroy the usefulness of the piston ring. The new and .improved piston ring assembly works equally well in liquid ends of pumps and auxiliary machinery.

s Claims. '(01. 309-44) 2 Another object of the invention is the construction of a device as mentioned which is simple and durable and which may be manufactured and sold ata reasonable cost.

For further comprehension of the invention,

and of the objects and advantages thereof, ref-l erence will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularlyset forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a cylinder provided with a piston having a piston ring assembly constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 vis another fragmentary enlarged vertlcal sectional view, this view-being taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is'an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig, 2. I

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the seal pieces.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the sections of the piston ring.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of th'e springs used in the piston ring assembly.

The new and improved piston ring assembly, according to this invention, is used in combination with a piston IU having a peripheral groove II for a piston ring assembly. This piston I0 is shown constructed with a follower I3 and a main part I4 secured together with fastening elements I5, such as studs, so that the piston'assembly may be engaged into and removed from the groove I I.

The new and improved piston ring assembly is disposed within the groove II and vincludes a bull ring I6 mounted within the groove Il and having a transverse face I1 formed with an annular recess I8 spaced inwards from the outer edge thereof. An annular member I9 is mounted in the annular space between the transverse face I1 and one of the transverse faces of said groove II.

The annular member I9 is formed from a pluraliting means for preventing extension of the sections forming the annular member I9 more than,y

ing pieces 2i for urging them into their extended positions.

The inner diameter of the annular member I9 f is formed with recessed portions 29 forming room for the springs 25. Each spring 25 is formed from a strip of spring material. Each spring has a centrall curved portion 21 and offset ends 28. The ends 28 rest against a flange 29 extended upwards from the bull ring I9. The central portion of the spring 21 engages against the projection 23 of the sealing piece 2l and against tne adjacent end portions of sections of the annular member I9.

In the particular design of piston ring assembly disclosed on the drawing a second annular member I9' is associated with the bottom side of the bull ring 1s. More particularly, the piston lo has an auxiliary bottom groove portion II into which the second annular member I9' engages. The bottom face ofthe bull ring I6 is formed with an annular recess I8' which is engaged by a complementary projection 20 formed on the top of the annular member I9. The annular member I9 is mounted in an annular space between the bottom transverse face of the bull ring I6 and the adjacent faces of said auxiliary groove portion II'.

Sealing pieces 2I are set into radial recesses formed in the bottom of the annular member I9 at the overlapping adjacent ends of the sections thereof. These sealing pieces 2| have their projecting portions 23 engaging recesses in the annular member I9 for limiting extension of the sealing pieces. The sections of the member I9 are limited in their extension by the projections 20' engaging the shoulders I8'. Springs 25 are engaged within recesses 26 formed in the annular members I9' and serve to extend the sections of the annular member I9' and the sealing pieces 2I substantially in the same manner as described relative to the flrst mentioned annular member I9.

The operation oi the piston ring assembly may be understood from the following;

The springs 25 urge the sections of the annular members I9 and I9 and urge the sealing pieces l2| outwards against the limiting shoulders I8 and I8 and the shoulders formed by the recesses 24 in the annular members so that the outer diameter of the annular members I9 and I9 are limited in their resilient engagement against the wall of the `cylinder I2. For this reason Vthe piston rings are restrained from grooving and damaging the cylinder wall.

In fact, the piston rings may be'used in a damaged cylinder wall, and after a time the damaged surface will be worn away and the piston rings will work better than when initially mounted in position. They may be reset from time to time whenever adjustment is required by merely increasing the diameter of the shoulders I8 and I8' of the bull ring I6. This permits the annularv membersV I9 and I9' to extend a slight distance further and compensate for wear.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention. it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to. secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1 In a piston having a bull ring adapted to be mounted in a groove and having a transverse face formed with an annular recess spaced inwards from the outer edge thereof, an annular member mounted in the annular space between said transverse face and one transverse face of said groove and formed of a plurality of sections having their ends in end alignment with each other and having-an annular projection engaging said annular recess for limiting extension of said sections, sealing pieces set into radial recesses in said annular member and overlapping the adjacent ends of said sections and having projections engaging recesses in said annular member for limiting extension of said sealing pieces, and resilient means for extending said sections and sealing pieces, comprising leaf springs mounted within recesses formed in the sections of said annular member.

2. In a'piston having a bull ring adapted to be mounted in a groove and having a transverse face formed with an annular recess spaced inwards from the outer edge thereof, an annular member mounted in` the annular space between said transverse face and one transverse face of said groove and formed of a plurality of sections having their ends in end alignment with each other and having an annular projection engaging said annular recess for limiting extension of said sections, sealing pieces set into radial recesses in said annular member and overlapping the adjacent ends of said sections and having projections engaging recesses in said annular member for limiting extension of said sealing pieces, and resilient means for extending said sections and sealing pieces, comprising leaf springs mounted within recesses formed in the 'sections of said annular member, said springs having offset ends and having curved central portions which engage against said sections and sealing pieces.

3. In a piston having a bull ring adapted to be mounted in a groove and having a transverse face formed with an annular recess spaced inwards from the outer edge thereof, an annular member mounted in the annular space between said transverse face and one transverse face of said groove and formed of a plurality of sections having their ends in end alignment with each other and having an annular projection engaging said annular recess for limiting extension of said sections, sealing pieces set into radial recesses in said annular member and overlapping the adjacent ends of said sections and having projections engaging recesses in said annular'member for limiting extension of said sealing pieces, and resilient means for extending said sections and sealing pieces, said bull ring being provided with another annular recess on another transverse face thereof, a second annular member mounted in the annular space between said second transverse face and another transverse face of a portion of said groove in the piston and formed of a plurality of sections having their ends in end alignment with each other and having an annular projection engaging an annular recess for limiting extension of said secfor urging the sections oi the second-named annular member and their sealing pieces into limited extended positions, and said resilient means comprising leaf springs mounted within recesses 5 formed in the sections of said annular members.

JESSE A. RAMSEY. 

